Nigel Malt: Lauren Malt's father jailed for life for her murder in West Winch

The judge said Nigel Malt used his car as a "lethal weapon in an alcohol-fuelled rage in a residential street"

A father who murdered his daughter by twice running over her with his car has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

Nigel Malt, 45, of King's Lynn in Norfolk, knocked over 19-year-old Lauren Malt outside the home she shared with her mother and siblings in nearby West Winch in January.

He had denied murder, claiming it was an accident, but was found guilty after a trial at Norwich Crown Court.

A judge imposed the minimum term as part of a life sentence.

Lauren Malt was killed by "the very person who should protect her and keep her safe", Norfolk Police said

The jury heard Malt, of Lynn Road, was estranged from his wife and children and had been given bail with conditions not to turn up at their home or his wife's workplace after she reported him for assault in April 2021.

Prosecutor, Andrew Jackson, told jurors that while awaiting trial for that charge, Malt turned up at his wife and children's home in Leete Way on 23 January, argued with his daughter and threatened her boyfriend, Arthur Marnell, with a crowbar.

Mr Jackson said that after Malt "failed in his bid to inflict violence" on his daughter's boyfriend, she told him to go home and "he was totally consumed with anger".

He reversed his car over his daughter then stopped and drove forward over her body.

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Malt then put her in his front passenger seat and drove to his wife's work before taking her to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination found she died from injuries to her chest and abdomen.

The defendant was tested by police and had more than twice the legal driving limit of alcohol in his blood.

Defence barrister, Allison Summers KC, said: "Had he not been drinking, it's highly unlikely he would have behaved in the way that he did."

Police had been alerted to a disturbance in the small cul-de-sac at about 19:30 GMT on 23 January

Reading a victim impact statement in court, his estranged wife, Karen Malt, said: "I remember the call saying 'I will bring your daughter over, she's dead'.

"I was screaming 'which one' to him down the phone, but he wouldn't tell me."

She said she thought her daughter "must be OK" but when his car arrived and she saw inside "the feeling of dread started to come over" her.

"I just knew she wasn't going to make it," she said.

"She was stuffed in the footwell. I saw her face and felt sick."

She added that seeing her in that position "was worse than knowing she had been run over".

"I can't fathom how a parent could kill their own child," she said.

"How do you forgive?"

Malt's black Mercedes C200 was seized at the hospital where his daughter was pronounced dead

Judge Anthony Bate said Malt used his car as a "lethal weapon in an alcohol-fuelled rage in a residential street".

"She [Lauren] should have been safe in her father's company," he said.

After sentencing, Det Ch Insp Holly Evans said: "Lauren needlessly lost her life at the hands of her father, the very person who should protect her and keep her safe.

"There's nothing that can bring Lauren back but today the man responsible for her death has faced justice."

In a statement, Lauren's family said she was "a beautiful young woman who was loved by many".

"She had so much to live for and had so many dreams which sadly she will never complete as her life was tragically taken from her in a most horrific way, at the hands of her father, someone who was supposed to love and protect her," they said.

"Whilst nothing will ever compensate for the loss of her life and the pain we are all suffering, I am very grateful that justice was done and a guilty verdict was passed."

The judge directed that the two charges of assault on Karen Malt will lie on the file.